Crisp High Roast Chicken with Potatoes ~ 5.20.11

Maybe you've figure this out about me, but maybe not. I love cooking shows. I'm a visual learner and when  I see someone make something- it brings the recipe to life and gives me the confidence to approach the recipe! Maybe that's why Ree is so popular? She shows you step by step. Well, that and her amazing recipes.

I digress.

I've always been a fan of Cook's Illustrated and more specifically the PBS show America's Test Kitchen. I find it fascinating to hear all the trial and error they put into testing these recipes. Makes me really believe that this is the best way to cook/bake something.

I thought this recipe for cooking a whole chicken was brilliant and doable. And the first time I made this recipe was back in 2006, right before I left for a week's vacation in California! Why do I find it necessary to try new things 24 hours before a big event? I dunno. It was my VERY FIRST time cooking a whole chicken! seriously! And I'm glad I started with this recipe because it was amazingly moist and those potatoes- WOW!

This time around, I skipped the brining and just split my chicken according to my How to Cook Everything cookbook. Not too difficult, made easier with kitchen shears. As with most of their recipes, there are many steps, but the result is well worth it. Just a lot of explaining. I promise it's not that difficult to prepare. I made this on a soccer night!
Here's the recipe:

Crisp-Skin High Roast Chicken and Potatoes
from America's Test Kitchen

For the brine (optional- but give it a go sometime so you can say, (Oh, yeah, I've brined a chicken")
1 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 whole chicken, 3 1/2-4 lbs; giblets removed and reserved for another use, fat around cavity removed and discarded

Dissolve the salt in the sugar in 2 qts cold water in a large container. Immerse chicken and refrigerate until fully seasoned, about 1 hour.

2 1/2 lbs russet potatoes or Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and sliced 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick (use a food processor or a nice, sharp knife)
1 1/2 Tbs olive oil
3/4 tsp salt

Compound butter- place in a bowl to schmear your chicken!-- OPTIONAL, but AMAZING addition
2 Tbs softened butter
1 med garlic clove, minced
1 Tbs Dijon mustard
1 tsp minced fresh thyme leaves
black pepper

1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 500 degrees! HOT, HOT, HOT
Line the bottom of your broiler pan with heavy duty foil and spray with nonstick cooking spray. Remove chicken from brine (if you brined), and rinse thoroughly under cold running water (be sure to clean out your sink!). Butterfly chicken, flatten breastbone and apply the flavored butter (if using) under the skin of the chicken- all over! Thoroughly pat the chicken dry.
 And place on the top part of your broiler pan.

Toss the potatoes with 1 Tbs oil, slat and pepper in a medium bowl. Spread the potatoes in an even layer on the foil lined broiler pan. Place the top of the broiler pan over the potatoes- See picture above. Rub the chicken with the remaining olive oil and season with S&P. Put into the oven.

Cook until the chicken is spotty brown, about 20 minutes. Rotate the pan and continue to roast until skin has crisped and turned a deep brown and an thermometer registers 160 degrees in the thickest part of the breast, 20-25 minutes longer.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board and with pot holders, remove top of broiler pan. Using paper towels, soak up the excess grease from potatoes. Remove foil liner with potatoes and invert foil and potatoes onto a cookie sheet. Peel back foil and scrape off remaining potatoes with a spatula. Pat off remaining grease with paper towels.
Cut chicken, arrange pieces on a serving platter and transfer potatoes right beside them. Voila- dinner is ready.
Serve with fresh steamed green beans or a crisp garden salad!

Brunch staples ~ 1.10.11

Southwest Sausage Bake
adapted from Taste of Home

6-10 flour tortillas, cut into 1/2 inch strips
4 cans chopped green chiles, drained
1 1/2 lbs bulk sausage, cooked and crumbled (I used a package of sweet turkey sausage that I squeeze out of the casing and then cook and crumble)
8 oz shredded jack cheese (I use some pepper jack, too)
10 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 tsp each salt, garlic salt, onion salt, pepper, cumin, (Adobo seasoning, my addition)
paprika
4-5 Roma tomatoes, sliced
sour cream & salsa- to garnish

grease 9 x13 inch baking dish, layer half of the tortilla strips to cover the bottom of the dish.
Sprinkle sausage crumbles, chiles, cheese on the bottom layer. Repeat until you have three layers, you may need more tortillas, so adjust and go with the flow.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk and seasonings; pour over all the layers. Sprinkle with paprika, cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove at least 30 minutes before baking (Sometimes I'll take it out before church and then bake it when I get home)
Bake, uncovered, 350 degrees for 50 minutes. While it bakes, slice your Roma tomatoes to place on top of the casserole. After 50 minutes, put the toms on top and bake an additional 10 minutes or until a knife comes out clean. 10 should do it.

Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

The recipe says 12 servings, but it's so filling, you could get 24 out of this 9x13 dish. I served 8 adults and 9 kids (granted not all the kids ate it, mine love it) and STILL had half of this leftover!


Shredded Potato Casserole

{this recipe was given to me by my good friend, Rachel. It's been a hit for years and I cannot have a brunch without it. I will get in BIG trouble if this casserole is not present! I have adapted the recipe to fit my tastes, but I'm writing the original here with my adaptations in parenthesis.}

1 bag shredded potatoes- thawed
1 cup cubed Velveeta (I use 8oz shredded cheddar)
1 onion, grated or minced really fine
1 container (small) french onion dip
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup of sour cream (light)

**the last time I made this I used Tastefully Simple's Onion Onion in place of the french onion dip AND the minced onion. It was lacking onion flavor, so if you're going to skimp on something, don't skimp on the fresh onion! I used a whole cup of sour cream and 2 Tbsp of Onion Onion in lieu of the french onion dip. See, versatile, use what you have or just stick to the original recipe. I thought it was still pretty good.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix all the ingredients except the potatoes.
After all the ingredients are incorporated, add the potatoes and mix.
Put in a greased 9x13 baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and dot with 4 Tbs butter (I've skipped that and no one was the wiser)
Cover and bake 30 minutes. THEN, uncover and bake 20 minutes more. Test to see that it's hot all the way through by inserting a knife and touching the blade to see if it's nice and hot.